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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. charge — a price
  6. bat — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bound — certain
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. charge — in control
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bowl — to roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com